ARTA Canada Welcomes Clarity and Stability
in the Air Canada/CUPE Disagreement:
Strike Disallowed by CIRB

Passengers and Their Travel Agents Can Get On
with the Business of Traveling and Arranging Travel

Toronto, 12 October 2011: Canada's Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA Canada) welcomed today's decision by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) to make clear and apply the Canada Labour Code that referrals submitted to the CIRB by the Honourable Minister of Labour, Lisa Raitt, in the Air Canada/CUPE disagreement suspends the right to strike until the Board renders a decision on the matter.

The strike planned by Air Canada's flight attendants for 12:01AM, 13 October 2011, cannot proceed given the clarification announced by the CIRB earlier today. A copy of the CIRB notice can be downloaded by clicking here.

"The is welcome news for our mutual customers and their travel agents by bringing certainty to several days of on again, off again plans by flight attendants to destabilize Air Canada's operations. Travel agents have done an exceptional job in arranging and rearranging travel itineraries for worried customers who felt caught in the middle of this labour dispute. The CIRB announcement brings much needed relief at a time when travelers are anxious, travel agents are exhausted, and the disputing parties need a breather to review their positions", said ARTA Canada President, Bruce Bishins, CTC.

The CIRB will consider the referred matters in due time. Until then, it will be business as usual at Air Canada.

In the meantime, Air Canada has advised travel agents that its Flexible Rebooking Policy is in effect until 21:00 (Eastern) today, 12 October 2011. If an agent has changed a customer’s itinerary in anticipation of a strike, agents have until Monday, 17 October 2011 to rebook the original itinerary, without penalty, subject to availability. Please continue to use the endorsement "CUPE2011."

About ARTA Canada 

ARTA Canada is the largest non-profit federally incorporated professional association of travel retailers in Canada, the members of which consist exclusively of travel agencies and travel agents. In addition to advocating fair and equitable treatment of travel consumers, ARTA Canada represents the commercial and strategic interests of its member travel agencies and travel agents in a variety of national and provincial domains including regulatory and legislative matters, automation, technology, sales and marketing, and distribution.

ARTA Canada is the strategic partner in Canada of the U.S.-based Association of Retail Travel Agents (ARTA). For complete details about ARTA Canada's new $99 membership campaign or to join ARTA Canada, including secure payment on our web site, please visit www.artacanada.ca/join.